Video: Three game reboots that rocked our world

Not all reboots are worth the journey, but these three franchises nailed it.

Re-boots: some people hate them and some people love them. In the case of certain video game franchises, some actually needed them, as they moved up to new hardware or from side-scrolling into three-dimensional gaming. But when certain franchises took chances and innovated on the existing series, the results have at times been spectacular.

Here at Ars we talked to a few of our editors and asked them what some of their favorite game re-boots of the past few years have been. There are some interesting titles, old and new, represented in this mix. If this sort of thing has you reaching for the nearest console, let us know. We'll publish more in the future if you’d like to see more editors reveal their favorite reboots.

Senior Reviews Editor Lee Hutchinson: Fallout 3

Fallout 3 (2009)

Staff Writer Andrew Cunningham: Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime (2002)

Gaming Editor Kyle Orland: Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider (2013)

Don’t call it a comeback—we haven’t. But what reboots do you think merit praise? If there are some overlooked gems that haven’t been mentioned yet, share your thoughts in the comments.

117 Reader Comments

Fallout 3 deserves praise, but Fallout New Vegas (by Obsidian) had stories that were closer to the spirit of the original. Heading into the different vaults and reading about the effects of the experiments on their human subjects was a classic Fallout experience.

I just finished playing XCom on normal, before starting a game on classic difficulty. Yes, the game isn't as long or as deep as the original but it nailed the feel of X-Com while offering very good 3D graphics in place of the original 320x400 2D.

Just started TR last night (50% off on PSN till Monday made it an easy choice). So far a GREAT reboot. Yeah people will complain about the Uncharted feel but that wasn't such a bad franchise either. Story is driving the game which is a nice change of pace from the original TR and Lara's 1950s Barbie doll physique driven everything. Good call on that selection Kyle.

Metroid Prime is one of my all time favorite games. I have the first two for the Gamecube, the third for the Wii and I even got the special trilogy pack they released for the Wii. I really need to play through them all again...

I was really sceptical about Tomb Raider until a couple of hours in, then it just grabbed me. All the little homages to the original games were well done also, especially the 'graduation' power-up at the end. Bizarrely, the hair-pulling frustration I used to get spending hours trying to time a series of jumps just right so I could grab a treasure was something I missed - the game is just a little too easy. Overall a very successful reboot that should reinvigorate the franchise.

Are you fucking kidding me? Fallout 3 is a good reboot? Or worthy of anything other than derision? F3:NV is much worse than F1 and F2 but it's still orders of magnitude above the steaming pile of shit that is F3.

If you want a good reboot look at deus ex. That is reboot that actually kept to the original feeling instead of going for diarrhoea convention that is F3. Everything looks the same, the open world is just a bunch of identical subway stations and the whole world looks like the above mentioned convention. Not to mention writing and and the whole feel of the game and the interface.

It's funny because Lee specifically called out this viewpoint in his video.

Are you fucking kidding me? Fallout 3 is a good reboot? Or worthy of anything other than derision? F3:NV is much worse than F1 and F2 but it's still orders of magnitude above the steaming pile of shit that is F3.

Having played F1 and F2, I can still say I enjoyed both F3s very much. I'm playing Skyrim right now, and I'm constantly reminded of how much I enjoyed F3 and how I'm sad there's no F4. As enormously popular as Skyrim is, Fallout is a far better game IMO.

Are you fucking kidding me? Fallout 3 is a good reboot? Or worthy of anything other than derision? F3:NV is much worse than F1 and F2 but it's still orders of magnitude above the steaming pile of shit that is F3.

If you want a good reboot look at deus ex. That is reboot that actually kept to the original feeling instead of going for diarrhoea convention that is F3. Everything looks the same, the open world is just a bunch of identical subway stations and the whole world looks like the above mentioned convention. Not to mention writing and and the whole feel of the game and the interface.

Where does it say anything about the game having to be a close reflection of the original? As a Canadian I am all for Eidos Montreal's success, but Deus Ex is nowhere near fallout3, you should be embarrassed for even suggesting that.

While I haven't watched the videos yet (something's up with the videos for me) I'm not sure what the definition of reboot is here. The only reboot of the three, for me, is Tomb Raider, I wouldn't consider the other two reboots.One actual reboot that I am looking forward to though is Thief.

Are you fucking kidding me? Fallout 3 is a good reboot? Or worthy of anything other than derision? F3:NV is much worse than F1 and F2 but it's still orders of magnitude above the steaming pile of shit that is F3.

Having played F1 and F2, I can still say I enjoyed both F3s very much. I'm playing Skyrim right now, and I'm constantly reminded of how much I enjoyed F3 and how I'm sad there's no F4. As enormously popular as Skyrim is, Fallout is a far better game IMO.

Well at least Fallout 3NV is a much better game than Skyrim. Not sure how they could climb up from Fallout 3 to 3NV and then roll all the way down to completely linear missions and dungeons like in Skyrim.

So, uh... I kinda hate to be that guy, but neither Fallout 3 nor Metroid Prime is a reboot. Both are set in the same continuity as the other games in their series. Perhaps "revival" might be a better term?

I couldn't get over FO3's massive mental issues when it comes to scrolling between the top 2/3 and the feet of an enemy in VATS targeting mode. That part felt too much like reading a website on a 20 year old flip-phone. Just enough suck showing there to place FO3 on my Steam back, back burner, the one that's rusted out and mostly a hole in the counter now.

(...)Having played F1 and F2, I can still say I enjoyed both F3s very much. I'm playing Skyrim right now, and I'm constantly reminded of how much I enjoyed F3 and how I'm sad there's no F4. As enormously popular as Skyrim is, Fallout is a far better game IMO.

You can safely bet they are developing a Fallout 4 right now.

Carewolf wrote:

Well at least Fallout 3NV is a much better game than Skyrim. Not sure how they could climb up from Fallout 3 to 3NV and then roll all the way down to completely linear missions and dungeons like in Skyrim.

I wonder whether you actually played Fallout 3. Fallout 3 was, for all intents and purposes, Oblivion with guns in the Fallout world. You may like it or not. I think it worked great even though Bethesda tried to pretend they would never merely make an Oblivion with guns. Apart from the game engine and a more interesting settings, Oblivion, Fallout 3 and Skyrim have many things in common, from more or less interesting dungeons to very linear stories and quests to limited choices. Oh and the dungeons in Skyrim were far more interesting and appealing to explore than the bland generic ones of Oblivion.

Next time Bethesda is making a major RPG, they should keep doing what they're doing best, that is designing worlds, landscape, writing lore and setting up the universe. Then, they should let Obsidian write the story, the quests and all the nitty-gritty details that made Fallout New Vegas such a great game.

To respond to the commenters above, Deus Ex is not a reboot by even Ars' apparently lenient definition. It's within the same continuity and the gameplay and setting are basically unchanged (it got modern three foot high wall cover but that's about it). It's just a prequel.

I wouldn't call Prime or Fallout reboots though, since they fit in the same continuity.

I for one dig the X-Com reboot. It's not necessarily better than the original--I miss the complexities of bass building and the resulting structures to battle in when aliens attacked it--but it's a lot more playable.

Haven't played the new DMC but Ars seemed to love it so I'm surprised it's not in the list.

Having played F1 and F2, I can still say I enjoyed both F3s very much. I'm playing Skyrim right now, and I'm constantly reminded of how much I enjoyed F3 and how I'm sad there's no F4. As enormously popular as Skyrim is, Fallout is a far better game IMO.

Well at least Fallout 3NV is a much better game than Skyrim. Not sure how they could climb up from Fallout 3 to 3NV and then roll all the way down to completely linear missions and dungeons like in Skyrim.

I hear you there. Skyrim feels more like a console game with its story lines and interface. One of the biggest things I miss in Skyrim is the VATS. Melee weapons in a first person game become a lot more interesting when you can plan your targets. The character development interface is also better with the PipBoy. The constellation skill tree is more art than function. Nonetheless I'm still enjoying Skyrim. There's something fun about wandering around and stumbling into a dungeon or event. Too many games run on rails and they struggle to hold my interest.

If same-continuity-but-new-audience games like FO3 count, I think Metal Gear Solid qualifies, especially given how much of its story is adapted from Metal Gear 2. I've known multiple fans of the series who were surprised to learn that there even were Metal Gear games before MGS.

XCOM Enemy Unknown. I'd have been happy with a simple update on the graphics, but Firaxis did an excellent job of trimming some of the complexity without dumbing it down. It's clear they made the reboot with the greatest respect for the original Microprose game.

Fallout 3 is a decent game with a lot of wasted potential. It had an absolutely brilliant opening. The VATs system was a neat compromise between real-time and turn-based. They kept the over the top death animations. Then the game devolved from an interesting open world RPG to a dungeon-runner after Megaton.

Each area was an isolated playground, the metro tunnels were just poorly designed, and it had several basic logic flaws. Where did kids come from to replace the ones that left Little Lamplight? Why was there a huge struggle between slavers and slaves if no one is shown actually using slaves? Who hired the talon company? Why can't the freaking super-mutant who's immune to radiation turn of the switch?

There are so many small flaws in world-building that cumulatively weaken the game.

Personal favourite is the Sands of Time trilogy, the reboot of Prince of Persia (despite being a decade old now). I'm old enough to have really enjoyed the original, skeleton fighting, chomping door goodness, but being bought into the 3D world worked incredibly well.

I can understand calling FO3 a reboot given that they change SO many things, though FO:NV was more the spiritual successor to FO1/2.

For those pining for FO1/2 style,. Wasteland 2 is around the corner.

(FO4 is coming.)

This is one of the great things. Wasteland 2. Can't wait for it to get done. A lot of good RPG on the way. Ones that are not stuck in the "it must be fsp/3person so consolers don't get confused" world. Great to see quality games coming back.

If FO4 is along the lines of FO3:NV it will be a good game. Not great but still good.

Bizarrely, the hair-pulling frustration I used to get spending hours trying to time a series of jumps just right so I could grab a treasure was something I missed - the game is just a little too easy.

That's exactly the kind of frustration I absolutely don't miss, not for a millisecond. When I have a few hours to play games every week, I certainly don't want to spend them doing the same thing over and over ad nauseam. Therefore the new Tomb Raider is the first TR game I actually enjoy

I'm a little confused about Tomb Raider. I found myself playing through it doggedly expecting it to get better, but so many things bugged me about it. It's spectacular, looks expensive, but honestly, there's not much actual 'game' in there. The XP choices are meaningless because you'll get them all without trying too hard, same for the weapon upgrades. The combat is far too easy and pretty repetitive once you start to get near the end, and once you get a certain upgrade which puts undiscovered collectables on the map automatically, the exploration element is robbed of any skill whatsoever. The plot is genuinely dreadful - Lara is the only character with any depth whatsoever, the dialog is terribly cheesy (at one point she actually says "it's too quiet..") and you can pretty much guess how it's going to end from about an hour in. Oh, and the final confrontation is a quicktime event. Sigh.

In terms of a reboot, I find that Deus Ex: HR was much more interesting in pretty much every department. Whilst not quite as good as the original - there was no jeopardy in going back and finding every multiple route, and don't even get me started on the boss fights - it managed to capture a lot of the original's charm.

Cesar Torres / Cesar is the Social Editor at Ars Technica. His areas of expertise are in online communities, human-computer interaction, usability, and e-reader technology. Cesar lives in New York City.